What molecules/processes in photosynthesis are reduced and which are oxidized?
Photosynthesis is a process of plants in which plants and other things make food. It is an endothermic (takes in heat) chemical process that uses sunlight to change carbon dioxide into sugars for the consumption of energy by the cells. As well as plants, many kinds of algae, protists, and bacteria use it to get food. It involves oxidation and reduction by oxidizing the oxygen in the water and reducing the carbon in carbon dioxide.
Photosynthesis is a process of several steps, but the overall reaction is:
6CO2 + 6H2O sunlight−−−− → C6H12O6 + 6O2
The process makes more sense if the formula of glucose is written as (H-C-OH)6. Photosynthesis can be separated into two main stages:
The Photo Part (Photolysis) - The photo part of photosynthesis involves the oxidation of the oxygen from water.
2H2O energy−−−→ 4H+ + O2 + 4e−
Each O atom loses two electrons, so the oxygen in water is oxidized. The electrons released during photolysis are taken up by a carrier molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), turning it from its oxidized state (NADP+) to its reduced state (NADPH):
2NADP+ + 2H+ + 4e− → 2NADPH
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